Using Social Media Sites for Sales Recruitment

February 10, 2010

I tend to write about social media quite often in my blog posts… There are three reasons for this: a. I recently focused on lead generation services for Reality Digital (one of OpenView’s expansion stage portfolio companies that offers an enterprise-scale social media platform), b. I am an avid Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter user, and c. I recognize that social media is an incredibly powerful force that is changing the way that humans communicate in both personal and professional environments. 

This week, I am focused on recruiting support for Lead Generation/Business Development positions at local portfolio companies; social media has served as an incredible (and FREE!) resource. In addition to a Craigslist and Monster posting, I also posted job descriptions on my LinkedIn Groups jobs page and my Facebook Marketplace Page, both of which don’t require you to dish out any cash. Seems almost unimaginable in today’s world.

To post a position on LinkedIn that is visible to the general public, it costs about $200. However, as I have recently learned, there are ways of getting around paying this fee. Join groups that have 100+ members and that are relevant to the type of position for which you are recruiting. For instance, if you are recruiting for a job in which Salesforce administration experience is a requirement, join a group like “Saleforce Boston: Solutions and Network Group” which has 230 members. Each group has its own jobs page, and it is free to post the description of your role here.

Facebook is king in the world of social media, yet, its “Marketplace” really hasn’t taken off. Facebook Marketplace, which can be found by entering “marketplace” in your homepage search tab, is an application in which members can apply/recruit for jobs, buy/sell their possessions, buy/rent apartments/houses. Essentially, it’s a more interactive Craigslist. While in theory Marketplace could serve as a great recruiting resource, I don’t think that enough people know about it yet to make it truly effective. I’d be willing to put money on this application taking off at some point in the next year once Facebook chooses to market it more. I also wouldn’t be surprised if they start charging a fee for postings once it reaches the popularity level of Craigslist.

At the end of the day, paying big bucks for posting job descriptions on all of the classic job board sites like Monster, CareerBuilder, Hotjobs, the Ladders, etc. does not ensure that you will be inundated with amazing candidates, particularly competent and highly motivated salespeople. Choose the sites that you pay for wisely (ask the better candidates that you interview what sites the utilize most often in their search), and also consider using free social media resources that allow you reach out to your networks to find the diamond in the rough.